Please, I'm Trying to Study, Your Highness! - chapter 25

Under the dim yellow spotlight.

Qiao Nian’s light and lively figure froze in place.

She was clutching a mug that hadn’t yet been put into the sterilizer.

Her round eyes reflected the aggressive woman, her face struck by the sudden hostility, bewildered.

Good professional training allowed the girl, after a brief panic, to choose to step forward.

She placed the cup steadily back into the sterilizer.

Straightened her slightly messy apron, and spoke carefully in her uniquely soft, gentle voice.

“Ma’am, hello, is there anything I can help you with? Our shop… is about to close soon.”

The woman stopped in front of the bar counter.

Her eyes, lined heavily, scanned Qiao Nian from head to toe,

Her gaze was full of contempt and scrutiny, finally letting out a cold snort from her nose.

“Closing soon? What, you see a customer and don’t even want to do business? Or is this the level of service your staff provides?”

Her tone was harsh, her words sharp and biting.

Qiao Nian’s lips parted slightly, wanting to explain but at a loss for words.

She found her mind blank, unable to say a single thing.

“Ma’am, do you need to order?”

I put down the mop and stepped out from the shadows, breaking the awkward standoff.

“Our shop will officially shut down all systems, including the cash register, in five minutes.”

Only then did the woman notice my presence.

She glanced over, saw I was just another ordinary staff member in the same uniform, and snorted again, her arrogant posture unchanged.

She strode over in her stilettos to the nearest empty seat by the bar, sat down, and slammed her designer bag onto the table with a “bang.”

“Then give me a coffee. Hot.”

She fussily brushed her fingertips across the tabletop, as if there was some invisible dust.

“O-okay, please wait a moment.” Qiao Nian, as if granted amnesty, quickly turned and retreated behind the bar.

With her back to the woman, she pressed her lips tightly together, still not recovered from the earlier tension.

She turned on the coffee machine, her fingers trembling slightly as she operated the panel.

The “zzzz” of espresso extraction and the shrill whistle of the steam wand frothing milk sounded especially loud in the quiet room.

Soon, a hot latte with a simple heart-shaped latte art was ready.

Qiao Nian carried the tray, took a deep breath, and walked toward the woman again.

“Ma’am, your coffee.”

The woman didn’t look at her, just picked up the cup and took a small sip.

Within seconds, her brows furrowed. She slammed the cup back onto the table, the ceramic clattering sharply.

“So hot! Are you trying to burn me?”

“S-sorry, I’ll get you another cup right away.” Qiao Nian apologized quickly.

“Another cup? What, going to bring me poison next?”

The woman sneered, her gaze shifting to Qiao Nian’s clean apron.

“Doesn’t your shop train staff on hygiene? The apron has coffee stains on it. It’s disgusting just to look at.”

Qiao Nian looked down and finally noticed a small brown spot on the corner of her apron.

Her face, which had just returned to normal, flushed red again.

“I… I’m sorry… I…”

“Other than ‘sorry,’ can you say anything else? Or do you have a different set of lines for men?”

The woman’s words grew increasingly pointed, her hostility almost tangible.

Qiao Nian couldn’t hold back anymore.

Her big, expressive doe eyes filled with tears.

Biting her lower lip, she struggled to keep her voice from breaking as she asked,

“Ma’am… did I… did I do something wrong? Why… why are you targeting me like this?”

“Targeting you?”

The woman acted as if she’d heard the funniest joke in the world. She leaned back in her chair, her eyes brimming with mockery.

“You think you’re worth it? Let me ask you, did Lu Ze come looking for you this afternoon?”

The moment the name “Lu Ze” was spoken, Qiao Nian’s face turned deathly pale.

“Let me tell you, Qiao Nian, don’t pretend to be some innocent little white flower in front of me.”

The woman leaned forward, staking her claim.

“Lu Ze, he’s my boyfriend!”

Qiao Nian’s body trembled uncontrollably.

The light in her eyes dimmed.

“N-no, you’ve misunderstood. Lu Ze and I… we just grew up together, like… like brother and sister…”
“Brother and sister?”

The woman sneered, “Every vixen in the world loves to use that excuse. Do you think I’m a three-year-old?”

“Because of you, he hasn’t replied to my messages for ages! I’ve seen plenty of bitches like you who only know how to hide behind men, playing the victim to win sympathy!”

Her words grew sharper and more unbearable.

Jealousy splits people apart, distorting their faces beyond recognition.

By the end, she could no longer suppress the anger burning in her chest.

She picked up the steaming cup of coffee on the table, flicked her wrist, and viciously splashed it toward Qiao Nian’s pale face!

I reacted quickly, grabbing her wrist and pulling it aside.

Most of the scalding coffee missed its target.

But a little still splashed onto the girl’s thigh before she could dodge.

Dark coffee stains spread across her light-colored work pants.

“Hiss-”

Qiao Nian sucked in a cold breath, beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead as she let out a muffled groan of pain.

She staggered back two steps, grabbing the nearby table to keep herself from falling.

The woman who threw the coffee froze for a few seconds, realizing her impulsiveness.

Seeing Qiao Nian in pain, the twisted pleasure on her face quickly overwhelmed any trace of shock.

“Heh, what’s with the pitiful act? It’s just a cup of coffee, is it that precious? Or are you planning to use this look to complain to Lu Ze again?”

Just as she was about to continue her mockery, I stepped forward, silently positioning myself between her and Qiao Nian.

“First, intentional bodily harm. According to the public security regulations of the Daliang Kingdom, this is punishable by detention for no less than five days and no more than ten days.”

“If the circumstances are serious, it can be classified as a criminal case. Every corner of this shop is covered by high-definition surveillance.”

My calm tone was no different from explaining a physics law in class,

cutting straight into this hysterical farce.

“Second, the shop closed six minutes ago. You are lingering here and have caused physical and mental harm to our staff, delaying our closing procedures.”

“The resulting overtime and lost work costs will be compiled into an electronic bill, which, along with a lawyer’s letter, will be sent to you or Mr. Lu Ze’s phone.”

“Third.”

I tilted my head slightly, meeting her gaze through my glasses.

“Now, take your bag and disappear through that door immediately.”

“My patience, like this shop’s business hours, is already over.”

The woman was stunned by my calm and logical threats.

She was used to intimidating others with her attitude, but had never encountered someone who fought back with legal articles and financial invoices.

Her mouth hung half open, the words “Who do you think you are” stuck in her throat under my unflinching gaze.

The atmosphere was tense for a moment. She could only squeeze out a “Just you wait” through gritted teeth.

With that, she grabbed her bag from the table and fled the scene in her high heels.

The wind chimes rattled chaotically, then peace returned.

I didn’t look toward the door, but glanced at the girl behind me, still clutching the table and trembling in pain.

“That’s a burn. It needs to be treated immediately.”

“Bro… Brother Huihui, can you help me?”

Seeing that she was in too much pain to walk, I could only reach out and support her arm.

Qiao Nian’s weight leaned on me, and even through my shirt I could feel her trembling, unable to suppress it despite her efforts.

I helped her limp toward the staff-only room at the very back of the shop.

There was a separate sink and restroom there.

Once inside, I closed the door.

In the cramped space, only Qiao Nian’s suppressed, painful gasps could be heard.

Looking at her pants, soaked with coffee and clinging to her skin, I spoke with the procedural tone of a doctor handling an emergency.

“The pants sticking to your skin will keep heating it, prevent cooling, and worsen the injury.”

“You need to take them off and rinse the area under running cold water for at least twenty minutes.”

After giving my advice, I let go of her arm and turned to leave,

hoping to avoid the inevitable awkwardness to come.

“Handle it yourself. I’ll wait outside. If things don’t improve in twenty minutes, I’ll take you to the hospital.”

My hand had just touched the cold doorknob

when a weak, tearful, pleading voice came from behind me.

“W-wait… please…”